Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Thursday, Mar 23, 2006
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Thursday, Mar 23, 2006 |
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Logistics
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Shipping CPT trailer crew to go on strike from March 26 V. Sajeev Kumar
Kochi , March 22 The container trailer operators in Cochin Port Trust are keeping their fingers crossed following the indefinite strike notice issued by trailer crew from March 26 midnight demanding wage revision. Sources in the operators association pointed out that the strike notice was given at a time when most of the operators are finding it difficult to ply their vehicles on account of various reasons. Frequent price rise in diesel and spare parts coupled with the unscientific tax structure prevailing in the State is affecting smooth operations of trailers.
`Other States better'
The sources said that the present wage structure for trailer crew in Kerala is on the higher side compared to other States. Moreover, Kerala is the only State giving the highest amount of daily allowance to the crew because of the existence of a major port. The driver and cleaner of a trailer are getting 10 per cent and 5 per cent respectively as allowance besides salary for a trip. In other States, the allowance is 6 per cent and Rs 50-100 for driver and the cleaner.
Very little support
Moreover, the Governments in other States are giving all kinds of support to operators by way of various concessions encouraging them to introduce more services. However, there was no encouragement or support from the State Government authorities in Kerala to make the service viable. The sources pointed out that the road tax of trailer in Kerala is Rs 10,000 for a quarter, while it is Rs 5,000 for a period of one year in certain States. The number of trips taken by a trailer in a month is also low compared to that of a trip outside the State. At present there are four associations of trailer owners and the indifferent attitude of associations always thwarted the efforts to arrive at a unanimous decision on welfare matters, the sources added. The trade unions belonging to CITU and CTTU (Cochin Thuramukha Thozhilali Union) have served the strike notice to the owners to revise the wages following the expiry of the wage agreement. They also demanded settling of problems faced by the trailer workers in the pre-stage area as well as in the Rajiv Gandhi Container Terminal. The unions said in the notice that they had decided to go on an indefinite strike after the owners failed to arrive at a solution on the problems including introduction of token system for trailers after a token strike held in January 27 and 28.
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